Tanay Kapur (Kendall College, Hospitality Management, Food and Beverage Management, 2013) came to Kendall with a tremendous passion for the hospitality and culinary industry. However, he stumbled upon Kendall College by accident while on a family trip to Chicago.

“My family was visiting from India and when we took a boat tour on the Chicago River. I happened to see Kendall College from the boat. I looked up Kendall online and I loved the fact that they were a small and focused school,” shares Tanay. “Shortly after I was on campus pursuing my degree! It was the best decision in my college life. In fact, I would love to come back and get my associates degree in Culinary Arts at Kendall College someday.”

Tanay Kapur is a Management Trainee with Kings and Knights Heritage Hotels (Alila Fort Bishangarh). His favorite part of the industry is that it “doesn’t feel like work. I love the people, creativity, and the dynamics of this industry. Oh, and I love the working hours!”

“I hope to be a leader in the Hospitality industry,” says Tanay. He might be well on his way with his current job opening a hotel next year, with hopes to open more in the future. He says Kendall prepared him well for his position by giving him “the soft skills, technical skills and overall exposure to hospitality management

“I learned such an important and valuable variety of skills from how to carry a tray with 10 glasses of water, how to be humble and patient and most importantly how to take my passion for the industry and add the discipline of management to it. I learned how to think strategically, yet passionately about the subject.”

His advice for anyone hoping to enter the hospitality industry? “This industry has a lot to offer and just be a sponge and absorb as much as you can.” For students in the hospitality management program at Kendall, he says “As long as you are here because of your passion for the industry, you will reach the pinnacle.”